Northwest Mechanical a Finalist in Uponor Dream Home Promotion

The Great Room inside the Murrays’ award-winning home in Mount Vernon.

Shoreline, WA (June 14, 2006) — Local contractor Steve Murray of Northwest Mechanical Inc. was one of three finalists in the first annual Uponor Dream Home Promotion. Based near Minneapolis, Uponor North America is a leading manufacturer of crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing used in plumbing, fire sprinkler and hydronic radiant floor heating systems.

Murray received his finalist award from Dean Johnson, host of the nationally syndicated, home-improvement television show, HomeTime. The presentation took place at the 2006 Home Comfort Training Convention, recently hosted by Uponor North America at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Murray entered his own newly built residence in Mount Vernon, Wash., consisting of a 2,400-square-foot garage/apartment and a 2,750-square-foot main house. Constructed in three phases over 36 months, both structures are equipped with an Uponor radiant floor heating system. The garage/apartment also features an Uponor AQUAPEX plumbing system, while the main house employs a combination Uponor plumbing and fire protection system.

“We have 20- and 30-foot-tall, vaulted ceilings in many areas of our home,” Murray comments, “yet we wanted the space to have a warm and cozy, log cabin-type feel. Radiant floor heating helped us achieve the mix of open-yet-cozy that we were seeking.”

Adds Murray’s wife Rebecca: “In our old home, we had an electric, forced-air furnace that was inefficient, noisy and dusty, so we ran it as little as possible. Most of the year, I bundled up and always wore socks and slippers. I even carried around hot mugs of water to keep my fingers from going numb, but things have changed. I am finally comfortable in my own home and I hardly ever wear slippers. I love the radiant heating!”

About the promotion: Plumbing and heating contractors from across the United States and Canada submitted entries to the Uponor Dream Home competition, which was open to residential projects built or remodeled during a three-year period ending Jan. 1, 2006, and using Uponor products. Entries were evaluated for their contributions to life, safety and comfort by a panel of five judges – all experts in the field of home plumbing and heating systems.

“Our objective was to identify and celebrate the most creative, yet effective applications of plumbing, radiant floor heating and fire protection technology in the modern home today,” says Jim Bjork, executive vice president for Uponor North America. “The numerous entries we received were all very impressive, but our judging methods were quite rigorous, too. Earning an award at this high level of competition was no easy task for these contestants.”

Northwest Mechanical is located at 3204 NE 145th Street, Shoreline, WA 98155-7528; telephone: 206.267.4328.

Uponor (formerly Wirsbo) is a leading supplier of plumbing and heating systems for the residential and commercial building markets across North America and Europe. Uponor's key applications are radiant floor heating, tap water systems and infrastructure solutions. Uponor employs 4,100 people globally. In 2005, Uponor's net sales were $1.3 billion, returning an operating profit of 11.9%.

Uponor Corporation is listed on the Nordic Exchange in Helsinki, Finland. Uponor North America is headquartered in Apple Valley, Minn. For more information, visit www.uponor-usa.com.